Solidago plant named ‘KLESH06001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Solidago  plant named ‘KLESH06001’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; pyramidal spray formation; and inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Solidago hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLESH06001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Solidago plant, botanically known as Solidago hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLESH06001’.

The new Solidago is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop new fast-growing Solidago cultivars with freely branching habit, flowering habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Solidago originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in October, 2001 of a proprietary selection of Solidago hybrida identified as code number J 6, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Solidago hybrida identified as code number J 10, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Solidago was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in August, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Solidago by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since March, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Solidago are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KLESH06001 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KLESH06001’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KLESH06001’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Solidago:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Pyramidal spray formation.     -   5. Inflorescences with light yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago are shorter than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Solidago are lighter yellow         in color than ray florets of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Solidago differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago are taller than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago are pyramidal in shape         whereas sprays of plants of the male parent selection are         plume-shaped.

Plants of the new Solidago can be compared to plants of the Solidago cultivar Tara, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Solidago differed from plants of the cultivar Tara in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Solidago flowered one week earlier than         plants of the cultivar Tara.     -   2. Sprays of plants of the new Solidago were pyramidal in shape         whereas sprays of plants of the cultivar Tara were plume-shaped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Solidago. This photographs shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Solidago.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering sprays of ‘KLESH06001’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering spray of ‘KLESH06001’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Nairobi, Kenya, Germany during the spring in ground beds in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Solidago production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were about four months old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Solidago hybrida cultivar KLESH06001. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Solidago             hybrida identified as code number J 6, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Solidago             hybrida identified as code number J 10, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three weeks at             18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; initially fibrous, with             development, fleshy; creamy white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial cut flower typically             grown in ground beds; upright plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 60 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Plants produce about twelve flowering             stems per year. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146D.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate to whorled,             simple; sessile. Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin:             Serrated. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             velvety. Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 146B. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 146C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137B;             venation, 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C;             venation, 148B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with ovate to             deltoid-shaped ray florets. Flowering sprays pyramidal in             shape; sprays with 25 to 30 branches; about 1000             inflorescences develop per spray. Disc and ray florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not             fragrant. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences face             upright to outwardly. Uniform and freely flowering habit.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower from July to October.             Early flowering habit; plants begin flowering about ten to             twelve weeks after pinching.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three weeks on the plant and for             about ten days as a cut flower.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Shape: Cylindrical. Color: 145A.         -   Spray height.—About 50 cm.         -   Spray diameter.—About 36 cm.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 mm. Depth (height):             About 3 mm. Diameter of disc: About 2 mm. Receptacle height:             About 1 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per             inflorescence/arrangement: About eight arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate             to deltoid. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 9B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: 9B.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About six. Length:             About 3 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1 mm. Diameter, base:             About 0.5 mm. Shape: Tubular, salverform, elongated. Apex:             Five lobes; lobes acute. Color, immature: 9B. Color, mature:             9B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About twelve.             Length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Oval.             Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Texture, upper surface:             Pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to N144C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4.5 mm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 4 mm. Length, seventh peduncle: About             9.5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per disc floret: One. Anther shape: Elliptic.             Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen             amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium: Present on             both ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Filamentous. Stigma color:             155A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 155A.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Solidago have been     observed to be somewhat resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the     new Solidago have not been observed to resistant to pests and other     pathogens common to Solidago. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Solidago have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Solidago plant named ‘KLESH06001’ as illustrated and described. 